...to ask what your usual meal plan/content is on Christmas Day?

[StillSquirrelling]

Following on from the very divisive thread from earlier, asking whether one has a starter before Christmas dinner or not, I am now feeling a bit nosy curious as to what people actually eat on the big day. Here's what ours usually looks like:

Pre-breakfast: Kids usually have some chocolate from their stockings that we politely decline in sharing

Breakfast: Oven goes on for the turkey and we warm croissants and pain au chocolat in it whilst we are waiting for it to get to temperature. These are served with lashings of tea, freshly squeezed breakfast juice (orange and grapefruit) and butter/jam

Mid morning: Probably some more chocolate or some Twiglets savoury nibbles if we fancy some

At some point in the morning we will take all the Christmas dinner peelings to give to our sheep, along with a Christmas swede for each of them!

2pm (ish): Main event - no starter - which comprises turkey, roast spuds, sometimes new potatoes too, roast parsnips , sprouts, mashed carrot and swede, broccoli, peas, pigs in blankets, our special stuffing (cooked in its own dish not in the turkey - pack of stuffing with extra fried onions and a pack of sausage meat, all mixed together and baked) and possibly some Yorkshire puddings if we are feeling particularly hungry. All served with fizz of some sort (Shloer for the kids) and lashings of gravy etc

Pudding may or may not be served after dinner (DH is the only one who likes xmas pud)

Some point in the early evening: a buffet style supper of cold turkey and possibly a baked ham, pickles, cheese and biscuits, fruit and possibly more chocolate.

[StillSquirrelling]

topsy My sheep are possibly the most pampered sheep in the entire world up until the point we eat them so they definitely deserve a Christmas swede

I always used to take my horse a Christmas orange - he adored oranges although I've never met another horse who will even give one even a hint of a sniff.

The cat used to get a special posh foil tray of catfood for breakfast when he was alive, followed by turkey in the evening but our new cat doesn't like wet food so I'm not sure what to give her. Perhaps I'll catch her a mouse! She likes them judging by the amount of mouse spleens she leaves in the hall

[ghostyslovesheep]

7am - kids - chocolate - Me coffee

10am - kids - chocolate - me toast

1pm - dinner

2:30pm kids to their dads

2:31pm - Me cava and at some point before midnight cheese and crap

[agoodbook]

1 bottle of wine topsy ? here it is 1 white, 1 red and spares of both on the side ready to open, then Tokay to go with pudding

[ghostyslovesheep]

oh yes details of dinner:

Gammon and a roast chicken with carrots, peas, sprouts, parsnips, spuds, gravy, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, pigs in blankets

followed by a Christmas pudding for 1 (me) and cheese cake (kids)

with much wine

[HolgerDanske]

Forgot to say, we do have trifle available for evening indulgence, and usually another pudding of some description, we just don't serve it right after dinner.

[HolgerDanske]

Oh and I also forgot much wine to go with dinner...

[2kidsintow]

Sometime around 9 the girls bring in their stockings and open them on our bed.

Then we go down and do some gifts over breakfast. I like coissants, DH always makes bacon butties.

12.30 for 1pm - to my parents this year. No starter. Massive turkey, roast potatoes and parsnips, sprouts and other steamed mixed veg, 2 kinds of stuffing, plenty of gravy and some pigs in blankets.
Christmas pudding, ice cream and home made carrot cake on offer for pudding.

Gifts at my parents after dinner and some leisurely conversation.

Then we go home for a rest and to regroup.

My sisters and I take it in turn to put on a buffet of nibbles in the afternoon. We don't always eat too much in the evening, but it does then provide leftovers for boxing day. :)

[littlepeas]

Breakfast is smoked salmon on toast for dh and me and the chocolate coins and oranges from their stockings for the dc.

Lunch is turkey, ham, pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast potatoes, mash (for my sister who cannot contemplate a roast without it - I wouldn't bother otherwise), honey roast parsnips, sprouts with pancetta and then usually some plain peas and carrots. Gravy, bread sauce and cranberry.

It's tradition to have my mum's awesome trifle for pudding - we've been having this since we were tiny.

Mince pies and coffee around 4pm and then a huge cheeseboard and deli stuff in the evening. Then masses of nuts and trivial pursuit.

We are not huge Christmas boozers, but usually have some champagne when people are arriving, red wine with the main meal and then pick at snowballs/gin and tonics/beers for the men in the evening. I suppose that is quite boozy actually.

I tend to host, as I am a bit of a control freak about Christmas!

[SockQueen]

At my parents' (usually 5-8 people, all adults):

Breakfast:
Nothing special, maybe a boiled egg or a bit of chocolate. We don't have breakfast together as some get up earlier than others in order to go to church.

Whoever doesn't go to church puts the turkey in the oven and puts coffee on in time for people returning. We open presents while drinking coffee and eating Lebkuchen.

Around 12 noon we go across town to one of their friends' houses for some drinks and nibbles. There are usually about 10-15 other families there, some of whose children I went to primary school with many moons ago, so it's a nice chance to catch-up.

Return home 2-3pm for Christmas dinner:
Salmon mousse starter
Turkey, 2 types of stuffing (sage and onion/sausagemeat) made in the bird, roast potatoes, roast parsnips and carrots, pigs in blankets, peas/broccoli, sprouts (bleugh)
Christmas pud with brandy butter/fluffy brandy sauce.
We'll usually drink some fizz with this, maybe a light red with the main.

Later in the evening:
Cheese and crackers
Possibly a bit of cold meat/smoked salmon
Christmas cake
Mince pies

We might have some whisky in the evening but we certainly don't drink all day.

Am going to PiL's this year, so it might be a bit different.

[OutragedFromLeeds]

I just wanted to say how much I enjoy the word 'lashings' in relation to tea/jam etc. It's like an Enid Blyton story .

[OnlyWatford]

I love reading these.

Santa always brings breakfast here - often not too exciting - things like those little individual cereal boxes and cereal bars but last year he went a bit nuts in Costco and left us pop tarts and some of those individually wrapped crepe things, we were all feeling sick within seconds ;)

We watch The Polar Express - I suggested to my kids that we watch a different Christmas film this year and they all went crazy at me!

Then we have sausage rolls/pastries maybe a bit of salmon for lunch and do the present opening. We have this tradition - from my mum's childhood that the youngest girl hands out presents and then we all oohh and aahh at each other's presents. I don't remember doing this because I had a 2 years younger than me sister so she stole the honour early on. My youngest DD loves it!

We start eating dinner at about 4ish. No starter. We have capon. I don't like turkey and we always had capon when I was growing up. It's the best. Although I think illegal here now - so guess it is imported from France or somewhere - or my butcher is having me on and it's just a huge chicken.....

We have Christmas pudding which we set on fire and then eat with a ton of brandy butter Then we sit around until it's time for Christmas Downton.

[Summerisle1]

Breakfast: (just me and DH) Me, half a bowl of cereal, him 2 fig rolls and some orange juice.

Late morning head off to ds2's house to spend rest of day with rest of family. On arrival nibbly Christmas snack attack of some description. Alcohol.

Very late lunch around 3pm - no starter but HUGE meal involving roast parsnips, sprouts, peas, leeks, carrots (ugh!), roast potatoes, two or three sorts of stuffing, pigs in blankets, turkey or a couple of free range chickens. More alcohol.

Hiatus while we recover. Then pudding. Pudding wine.

Late tea time - home-cooked ham, salads, naice breads, cheeses, Christmas cake. Quite possibly a trifle. Gallons of tea.

Supper - more cheese, crackers, fruit. Port.

[50ShadesofNope]

Breakfast: Bacon sandwiches

Brunch: Bucks fizz and some nuts/chocolate

Late-ish "lunch": Crack open the champagne and have our first starter (soup), then our second starter (sometimes smoked salmon, sometimes a stuffed mushroom)

Dinner: About half an hour or so after the second starter we have our roast dinner (Turkey, carrots, mash, roasties, yorkshires, parsnips, cabbage, sprouts, leeks, cauliflower cheese, chipolatas, stuffing, lashings of gravy)

Pudding: Sherry trifle, Christmas cake, or cheeseboard or a combination of all three

It's a proper day of indulgence and I wouldn't have it any other way!

[needawarmcoat]

this year will be -

breakfast - 7am - tea, some fruit/yoghurt

work 8.30-4 , so tea/coffee/water/juice,all day, pastries& croissants am, mixture of nibbles/fruit/soup lunch,chocolates throughout the day probably!! Everyone is bringing something, so could be quite a wierd buffet!

3-4pm pm Tums or settlers

supper -about 7pm just the two of us -pescatarians, -well chilled prosecco (and lots of it!!) coquille st jacques starter/ roast sea-bass, herby butter sauce, mashed & roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots, broccoli & cauliflower gratin, main/lemon mousse dessert. New CD's and lots of wine until bedtime

[WhodidyousayIshouldbe]

We start our day with cereal and buttery toast and jam with lashings of tea and coffee then pressies. That takes so long for the 9 of us (with the in laws) and the 2 girls handing out the gifts that we find time for some home made sausage rolls (yum!).

We have a couple of medicinal sherries during lunch prep and sit down at about 2pm with fizz to eat our smoked salmon and prawn/melon and Parma ham.

Main is turkey with sage and onion stuffing, sausagemeat stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, broccoli, peas, carrots, braised red cabbage, leeks in cheese sauce, cranberry and goose fat roast potatoes. Sounds enormous but we don't have huge portions, just a lot of different things to choose from. Plenty of red and white wine to go with it as well.

We play games until teatime, when we set fire to the Christmas pudding. There are usually a couple of other puds too, fresh fruit salad and sticky toffee meringue with lots of cream.

We sometimes go for a walk to look at the Christmas lights on the houses in the village or sit and chat and then if anyone can face it, late supper is cheese, pate and salad with nice bread and crackers and usually some home baked ham left over from Christmas Eve and the remnants of the turkey!

There are always nuts and chocolates about too in case anyone just wants to snack on those rather than sitting down to supper.

The wine and beer flow freely and it's the one day we all over indulge and don't worry because we know we'll be off out for a long walk on Boxing Day to make up for it.

Can't wait now I've written that down, I lurve a proper family Christmas!

[WhodidyousayIshouldbe]

Forgot the gravy! Must have loads of gravy with my roast dinner

[DirtyOldTown]

My parents and in laws are jealous of each other, and both sets insist we see them on the day. So - we have lunch at IL's - turkey, roasties, about seven different veggies, followed by pudding, mince pies and trifle. Then the chocolates come out. Oh, and they're teetotal and won't have alcohol in the house so not a drop to ease the pain. In the evening we have dinner with my lot, it is always roast pork, glazed ham (we like a bit of pig) many more roasted veggies and sauces. Then pudding, mince pies and cake, possibly more trifle. My DM will watch what we eat with a gimlet eye and sigh that we must be full from our first dinner and why does she bother cooking all of this food we can't do justice to.
There was a Vicar of Dibley episode where Dawn F had to eat multiple Christmas dinners, I know exactly how she felt.
And if this outs me, too bad....

[MidniteScribbler]

Breakfast - Croissants, smoked salmon, brie, plus generally a few other cold meats and cheeses depending on what we find at the market. Champagne and orange juice.

Lunch - Turkey Roast, vegetables, lots of gravy. Some form of dessert depending on what I feel like making. I brought a recipe magazine a few weeks ago which had this is in, so leaning towards that at the moment. More champagne.

Dinner - Usually just some fresh prawns and a loaf of crusty bread by the side of the pool. Still more champagne.

[WhoDat]

I am loving all the lashings and masses of - it's like a cross between The Famous Five and Jilly Cooper! We are in the land of Christmas heathens here (US) - all very in your face 24/7 from Thanksgiving, but sadly no panache at the final hurdle.

So stateside we usually just have me, DH, our kids, my DM and DF. Generally me, DH and DM up for Santa's deliveries, hopefully back for a quick kip, then breakfast of ham and eggs, homemade sourdough toast (cheers DH), bellinis or bloody marys.

Lunch is turkey soup made from the giblets, more sourdough toast. Turkey in the oven. Stuffed with breadcrumb sage and onion stuffing as "that's all PC nonsense" and "I've never killed anyone yet"

Walk, snooze, whatever. Then around 3/4, champagne and gift exchange for the rest of the family. This delayed gratification blows Americans minds bless them. My dad always has a sherry

Then the main event - always aiming for 5, realistically 6.30...

Starter - salmon, shrimp & avocado salad with home made soda bread (my one and only party trick)
Main - Bacon wrapped turkey, with the aforementioned herb stuffing. Gravy. Roast Ham. Roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrot and parsnip mash (my dad would be bereft without it!).
Pudding - we drink the brandy and side eye the poor pudding my dad's sister made and they hauled the whole way across the Atlantic

Mucho wine, brandy etc later: ham, turkey, stuffing and crisp sandwiches. Judge away, but those crisps are IMPORTED

[Failedspinster]

We host a big family Christmas every year for DM, MIL and my two brothers if they can make it. One brother usually does all the cooking but sadly he's going to Italy for Christmas with his in laws this year so won't be here!

We get up at about nine for bacon, eggs and mushrooms. Then present opening. Lunch is usually turkey or chicken (this year as only DH, me and our mums will eat it), stuffing, pigs in blankets, chestnuts, roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots, carrot and swede mash, sprouts and gravy. Until this year my other brother was vegetarian and used to have Quorn chicken style burgers with his dinner. This year he's vegan and hasn't decided yet what he wants. Pudding is usually Eton mess or something ice cream based as none of us particularly like Christmas pudding. Then lots of cheese. We share a couple of bottles of champagne with the meal, but beyond that we don't drink much on the day. We eat about one pm and graze on chocolates, Yule log, chocolate biscuits, tangerines, cheese and the wreck of the turkey for the rest of the day - we usually don't bother with another meal.

Best day of the year :D

[HedgehogsDontBite]

Breakfast:
Croissants with smoked salmon and soft cheese

Lunch/dinner:
Prawn coctail starter
Turkey dinner with all the trimmings
Christmas pudding/chocolate log
coffee and mints

Later:
crackers and cheeses
mince pies

[Valsoldknickers]

DC get up bright and early to see what the man in the red suit has brought them (best part of the day!)

Then breakfast - standard fare, nothing fancy.

We visit my DS' s grave.

If we are in our own home I aim to serve dinner at 3pm-ish. No starter unless IL's come (smoked salmon on brown soda bread with a squeeze of lemon, no fuss). The main course is turkey, ham, stuffing, roasties, roast parsnips and carrots, sprouts and broccoli. Afterwards we have trifle or Christmas cake/pudding.

I like to have some wine with dinner but when I kick back and relax in the evening I enjoy Bailey's on ice. DH likes beer.

Looking forward to watching Dr. Who with DC.

It's our baby's first Christmas too which will be lovely for us even though he won't have a clue what's going on!

[BigSister1989]

Ooh, great thread!

I'm from France and we sort of mix traditions. On Christmas Eve we have shellfish and salmon and onion soup, very late (normally after Mass).

On the 25th we do the full thing -

Breakfast : toast and pâté (we'd never have that for breakfast otherwise)

Nibbles : we tend to have a late lunch so have salmon on bread when opening presents (we're a big family so it can take a while...)

Lunch : turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots, bread sauce, gravy, sausages wrapped in bacon and whatever other veg we have around!

Late afternoon : Christmas pudding

Evening : turkey sandwich!

[WyrdByrd]

DirtyOldTown you have my sympathies.

When DD was small we did two years running of Christmas lunch at my parents followed by a 3.5 hour drive to BILs (because ILs had gone there for Xmas but threw a tantrum about not seeing DD), to do it all again in the evening.

On the third year I decided that if if they couldn't all grow the fuck up, we'd stay home on our own for Christmas day, hence there only being three of us.

Even 7 years later though we still have aggro sorting out the logistics - Boxing Day football has been this year's spanner in the works .